2007 New York Auto Show Photos & Coverage - Part 2

Part two of our 2007 New York Auto Show coverage includes the much-talked-about 2009 Ford Flex crossover, 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX, Hyundai's rear-drive Concept Genesis, and the new Lexus LX 570, as well as a number of other new vehicles.The standard Impreza 2.5i and the WRX are on an all-new platform with a 3.7-inch-longer wheelbase. The front subframe is gone, allowing Subaru to mount the engine 10 mm lower than in the old model. An unequal-length control arm suspension replaces the multilink in back, in part to reduce the wheelwell intrusion and buy more trunk space.Or hatch space. The WRX hereby becomes a five-door hatchback worldwide. You'll be able to buy a 2008 WRX sedan, based on the new Impreza four-door, as long as you buy it in North America, a concession to lingering distaste here toward hatchbacks. The STI will be available globally only as a five-door hatchback when it goes on sale next year

General Motors has turned to Korea for a trio of minicar concepts, and will look to the Web to help them decide which one is the coolest. The three vehicles, built on GM's global mini architecture, are clearly aimed at the younger set, and could be a signal of The General's desire to create a youth-oriented channel along the lines of Scion. Designed by GM's design studio in South Korea, all vehicles are named in a musical theme -- the Beat, Groove and Trax. Beat, a front-drive, three-door hatch, has an import tuner vibe and is powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged gas engine mated to an automatic tranny. The Groove has a "funkastalgia" (their word, not ours) theme and features bulging fender flares, a short hood and is powered by a 1-liter diesel. Trax is a crossover with all-wheel-drive and its one piece bumper and fender system lends it a bigger appearance. It also features a rear-mounted spare tire, roof rack and 1-liter gas engine. Chevy is looking to the Web to gauge U.S. interest in the cars and to help them decide which one is the coolest at the following site: www.vote4chevrolet.com. Our fave? The Beat.

Ford is looking to make some additional noise in the crossover segment with the 2009 Ford Flex, which will join the Edge and Taurus X (formerly Freestyle) in the automaker's lineup next summer. Flex is powered by Ford's 3.5-liter V-6 with an estimated 260 horsepower on tap, mated to a six speed tranny and available all-wheel-drive. The seven-passenger seating is multi-configurable, and Flex features a lot of neat options on the inside, including an interior refrigerator, the Ford Sync communications and entertainment system, ambient mood lighting and a multi-panel skylight roof. On the outside, Ford's signature three-bar grille and what the automakers calls an all-black greenhouse, defined by the windshield, rear and side windows, and the pillars separating and connecting them to the roof, which can be white, silver or body colored, make for a unique appearance. Flex also comes with a raft of safety features and has standard 18-inch or available 19-inch bright aluminum wheels.

As a sport-luxury sedan, Concept Genesis breaks no new ground. Indeed, one look at the exterior suggests Hyundai's strategy is simply to follow the same BMW playbook already well thumbed by Nissan's Infiniti division. The glasshouse looks pure G35, while the rear end is a tasteful mlange of 3 Series and 7 Series cues. What you don't immediately read, thanks in part to the 20-inch alloy wheels, is the car's size: It's longer, wider, and taller than a BMW 5 Series and Lexus GS, with a wheelbase almost as long a Chrysler 300C's. Hyundai sources say the rear seat package is nearly as good as that of an S-Class Mercedes.

Little changes between the C16 Convertible and the C16 Coupe. Both feature the same engine options, with either 560 or 616 horsepower available from the supercharged 6.0-liter V-8 mill, depending on which state of tune the buyer selects. Transmission options also remain the same, namely a manual six-speed box (optionally available with the Z51 performance ratios) or a six-speed paddle-shift semi-automatic.For 'Vette enthusiasts that pine for a Z06 convertible, this is likely the closest thing available in the foreseeable future. A fully loaded C16 Convertible is priced at an eye-popping $128,765, and will be available through Callaway's dealer network. Individual C16 parts may be ordered for installation on previously purchased Corvettes.

The LX 570 marches into the 21st century with a bigger V-8, the new 5.7-liter from the 2007 Tundra pickup. Toyota says only that the 2008 LX 570 has "more than 400 pound-feet of torque." (In the Tundra, it's 401 poundfeet and 380 horsepower.) The 2007 LX 470's 4.7 V-8 makes 268 horsepower. The LX 570 also gets a new, electrohydraulic adjustable suspension, contributing to an 8000-pound towing capacity. It has more interior space, fourzone climate control, and a power-sliding second-row seat. A new Toyota Land Cruiser, currently enjoying its 50th anniversary, is expected soon after the LX 570.

For 2008, the H2 receives a 393 horsepower 6.2-liter V8 and a new six-speed automatic, both of which offer increased efficiency along with a 20 percent increase in power. As a result, towing capacity is up by 1,500 pounds to a total of 8,000 pounds. Inside, the interior has been completely redesigned with a revised blue-backlit instrument panel, center console with silver trim, seats, controls, and door panels. A third row has been added that seats two people, as opposed to the old model's single-seat. Improvements have also been made to the heating and ventilation systems, as well as the stereo - a Bose unit is now standard. Exterior styling is updated with a larger front grille and silver-painted lower bumper.

With the new Alpha, the H3 finally gets a long-awaited V-8 engine in addition to the somewhat underpowerd inline-five. With the 5.3-liter V8 that produces 295 horses and 317 lb-ft of torque (that's an increase of 53 and 75 respectively) the H3 finally feels like one of the family. Towing capacity is uprated to 6,000 pounds, but cosmetically not much has changed. The styling remains largely the same, save an Alpha badge here and there and the new silver-painted lower bumper that is found on the H2. The Luxury Equipment package is standard on the Alpha variant as is the Chrome Appearance package and 16-inch chrome wheels.

The Lucerne Super comes in the Spring of 2008, powered by the high-output version of the Northstar V-8, good for 292 horsepower and 288 pound-feet of torque, up only 17 horsepower, and actually down seven pound-feet from the CXS model's V-8. Other dynamic enhancements are limited to a performance-oriented recalibration of the magnetic-ride shocks and Stabilitrak systems and the slicker steering gear. The Lucerne Super's target benchmarks were the Lexus ES350 and Chrysler 300C.

As it does in the Grand Prix GXP and Impala SS, the LaCrosse Super's all-aluminum 5.3 liter V-8 sits sideways up front, routing 300 horsepower and 323 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. Throttle mapping, intake and exhaust tuning are all tailored for a more relaxed and refined - but no less potent - power delivery. Upsized brakes, an inch larger in front, 0.3-inch in back rein in that power, and Bilstein monotube struts and shocks improve body motion control with minimal degradation of ride quality.

The fifth 350Z coupe variant in the 2007 lineup, the Nismo 350Z bears a far more distinct appearance than its brethren, laregely thanks to the instantly noticeable body kit, which throws out all notions of subtlety the way major scandals throw politicians out of office. The front fascia is adorned with a black chin spoiler, the rear fascia features a functional-albeit-questionably-styled air diffuser, a large wing tops the decklid, and side skirts run the length of the car.Complementing the aero package is a set of gunmetal Nismo-branded Rays five-spoke lightweight alloy wheels. The wheels -- 18x9-inch in the front and 19x10-inch out back -- are fitted with a set of Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires.Even though the engine's output remains at 306 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque, there are a number of mechanical upgrades including a retuned suspension, Brembo brakes, and a Nismo exhaust.

The 2008 Liberty is a full two inches longer and half an inch wider than the outgoing model, which helps contribute to the 1.5 inches of legroom that the rear passengers gain and provides for additional cargo space, two areas where the Liberty could previously have been said to be lacking in light of its competition.It isn't just measurably bigger, it actually looks bigger - more so than the actual dimensions would suggest. And it looks serious. Gone is the somewhat-cutesy front end with its rounded headlights and relatively curvy appearance; in its place, a bold, squared off profile with rectangular headlamps and sharper edges. A subtle hood bulge hints at the 3.7-liter V6 lurking just underneath. While the traditional Jeep seven-slat grille remains, it is slightly larger and more upright for the new model year, adding to the Liberty's aggressive look.